Mayor Gray announced the ramp from 13th St. to the inbound bridge will be open. newsone.com

As part of the continuing efforts to expedite the 11th Street Bridge Project construction while minimizing impacts on residents and motorists, Mayor Vincent Gray and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Terry Bellamy announced that the ramp from 13th Street, SE to the inbound freeway bridge will remain open until the new local bridge opens late this Spring.

The 11th Street Bridge Team considered closing the 13th Street ramp in March 2012 to more quickly build new ramps from southbound DC 295 to the new inbound 11th Street freeway bridge and from the new outbound 11th Street freeway bridge to northbound DC 295.

Closing the ramp prior to opening the local bridge would reduce commuter traffic passing through local neighborhoods but would also cause local motorists to be detoured via Howard Road to northbound I-295 to cross the inbound 11th Street freeway bridge.

The new ramps between the freeway bridges and DC 295 are scheduled to open by fall with additional new ramps between the local bridge and both directions of DC 295/I-295 opening later in 2012 and early in 2013.